The Runner
by BrokenChosenofEva
Summary: One man sacrificed himself, his ship, and his crew to protect the delivery of the Vibration Warhead. In return, Blue Steel saved him, but at what cost? Follow him as he settles into his new life and sets out to change the world just as Gunzou chose to.
1. Chapter 1

**The Runner**  
**by BCE**  
**An Arpeggio of Blue Steel fanfic**

**0**  
**0**

Title: Reboot Resurrection  
Prompt: n/a  
Word Count:4500+  
Rating: T  
Summary: You are not who you were before, you are both more and less. Follow one man whose life ended and began with the arrival of Blue Steel.

Disclaimer: I do not own Arpeggio of Blue Steel

Notes: Give it a shot, please?

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_/Boot-up complete._  
_Running system checks/_

Waking up was... Normally groggy, I guess is the best way to put it. This time was odd. More than groggy, but at the same time less. This time felt more structured, but I was aware of less before becoming fully awake.

_/Hull integrity:100%_  
_...Sensors:online-passive_  
_...Weapons:locked down_  
_...Klein-Field:powered down_  
_...Drives:powered down_  
_...Ballast:setup required/_

There's a buzzing in my ears, faint but structured like a scratchy radio station with the volume low. When my awareness became more focused, I almost wished it hadn't.

_"Iona, how is he?"_

_"The core is not registering any anomalies, Gunzou-kun."_

I know those names... But, not why...

_"You confirmed the crossover was complete?"_

_"We determined there is a four point three percent chance of flaws or failures within the transfer, to varying degrees. We will not know until he assumes control of the core, and generates a mental model or activates the ship."_

Failures? Transfer? I struggle to open my eyes, but I'm not even sure I have them...

_/Accessing nano particles..._  
_Generating mental model: Runner.../_

My eyes snap open, accompanied by more buzzing, and I finally realize the odd hum in the background was a voice.

"Where am I?" Despite the fact I had just woken up, my voice is clear and strong, my body feels charged and ready, and I sit up, "what happened?"

"Do you know your name?" looking to my right I spot an oddly familiar young man and similarly familiar young woman. Gunzou and Iona respectively, I assume. The question was hers.

"It's-" I don't know, I suddenly realize. My mind calls up SS-275, but that's not the name for _this_ me... What? "I don't... Know?"

"Tell us what you can recall, and we will proceed from there." She responds, her eyes soft as she glances to the man beside her, "Gunzou-kun, please have Takao check the lock down, and request Hyuuga join me. I will alert you if I need you."

He nods, eyes hooded in thought. He rests his hand on her shoulder, lingering a moment, then calmly leaves the cramped med-bay. For the first time I realize I'm on one of the three beds in the small room, and that my two visitors had stood in the space between my bed and the next over.

"I am Iona, mental model of I-401." she begins, and I focus on her as she hops up and sits on the bed behind her, "This is my medical bay. We are currently docked one kilometer outside San Diego awaiting final resupply before departing for Yokosuka, Chihaya Gunzou's home."

"He's your captain...?" I begin, frustrated that it seems I know more about the people I've woken up to than myself.

"Correct." She blinks, finally, and tilts her head slightly, "You have yet to ask about yourself."

I blink at the unsubtle attempt at a hint, mulling over what I'm aware of... And realizing I dread asking what it might mean...

"I... Died, didn't I?" Transfer, crossover, flaws and failures. Either I'm a clone or-

"Please calm yourself." She implores, and I detect the faint change in the tone of her voice, "You have nothing to fear, you are safe here."

"I feel trapped..." And it's true, I feel like iron bands wrap around my chest, arms and legs even though I see no belts holding me to the bed. I focus on wiggling my fingers, and the obvious bit of freedom right in front of my eyes helps me a little, "just... What is the situation...?"

"Please focus on remaining calm, or the locks will remain in place." She orders, her tone softening slightly as she continues, "Two days ago a group of Fog destroyers attempted to attack this base and destroy both myself and the Vibration Warhead we had delivered.

"During the course of the battle your destroyer intercepted a corrosive torpedo intended for me after my Klein-field had dropped. While the maneuver saved us, it crippled your ship." A faint smile touched her lips, "Despite the damage to the stern of your ship, you and your crew maintained sufficient control and operational capacity to engage and disable a Fog Gato-class patrol submarine.

"However, this victory was short-lived," here Iona's eyes became downcast as she continued, and I had to fight the surge of sorrow as I began to recall what had happened, my last memories before waking up here, "A Fog Heavy Cruiser, which had used the destroyers as cover, fired its super-gravity cannon. Your ship, and all crew, were lost."

"Then how did I get here? Why am I not dead?" I flex my fingers, turning my hand over and then forming a fist.

"What did you do to me?" I plead.

"That is a question for me, the genius Hyuuga-chan!"

The two of us look to the door to find a slightly older, taller woman in a lab coat, sweater and skirt, her orange-brown hair curled on top of her shoulders. Arms crossed, she smirks knowingly at me, a shiver running up my spine as she walks over and sits shoulder to shoulder with Iona. The faint look of annoyance on the face I-401's Mental Model is lost on the other woman.

"No need to fill me in, I was outside waiting and heard what you've said so far." she declared airily, then smirked again, "Besides, I still have my backdoor into your core, so I know your conflicted and missing large chunks of memory, so-"

"WHAT?!" while Iona seems shocked at Hyuga's admission, my yell is less surprise and more anger, some instinctive knowledge helping me understand the violation of personal space.

"Hyuuga, you said you'd leave him alone." Iona admonished, tone rebuking but soft.

"And I will, once he's fully adapted and accepted his position now." Hyuuga brushed aside Iona's rebuke with a wince, turning to me as her smirk appeared for the third time, "Tell me, you've figured it out, yes?"

"I'm Fog?" my question instantly draws a snort of laughter from Hyuuga, Iona tilting her head the smallest degree, "What?"

"Focus in here," the brunette tapped her temple, "Focus on pulling up _your_ ship specifications. Then I'll tell you what I did. It's absolutely brilliant! Sister Iona should be suitably impressed!"

I sigh and grumble, the by-play oddly calming, and mentally summon 'my' ship's information.

"Oh my... perhaps a bit of training?" Hyuga's comment has me opening my eyes.

[specs: Gato-class submarine, 1x 5in deck gun, 2x 40mm bofors anti-air, 6x .50caliber machine guns, 6x bow torpedo tubes, 4x stern torpedo tubes, short-range radar, upgraded sonar. No torpedoes in magazine, weapons locked down]

"Oh... Wow..." I breath, looking over the stats and image of the ship on the holographic display I'd summoned up, the spinning rings of forest green around me adding to the effect, "This is... me...? Or, my... ship self?"

"Correct. The torpedo tubes are the only weapons which require ammunition, as the others are beam cannons." Hyuuga points out, clinical as she begins to speak, a welcome change from her earlier haughty or arrogant attitude, "As you might have _finally_ guessed, you occupy a Fog ship's Core, taking on most of the qualities and abilities including a Mental Model like us. You, however, are male where we are female. You are also not a true Fog persona.

"You are the transferred and copied mind of the ship captain that saved Sister Iona." so much for clinical, I lament, as the former Battleship continues in a haughty tone, "While your body did not survive, it lasted long enough without brain damage for me to fully map and download your personality and memories. Unfortunately, there were errors in the transfer and copying process which caused a degradation in your memories.

"But I've been running diagnostics in the background, and I've found nothing else wrong." she declares as I stare at her in what she must think is awe, but what is really a mix of horror and shock, "You're still you, just missing a large part of your memories. Which is unfortunate, because then you'd know first hand why I'm doing this and not because of stories told by people around you."

And so saying, she grabs my face and proceeds to shove her tongue down my throat. She must take my freezing in place as an invitation, a notion I quickly disabuse her of by shoving her off me and across the other bed with a scream of so many tangled emotions it will take me weeks or months to sort out.

"What the H_LL! You tell me I'm a _copy_, then tell me I've forgotten all my family and friends like it's no big deal, and try to _make out with me_ as reward for saving _ your crush_!" I yell as she picks herself up and Iona leans away from me wincing, my hands pull at my short cut hair as I jump up and pace the tiny open space in front of the door, thankfully wearing a replica of my uniform and not in a hospital gown, "Why? What possessed you to do this?"

"You saved me, and Hyuuga was convinced she could save you." Iona stands, pleading in her stance as she watches me struggle to calm down, "This was the best course, even if we had hoped you'd retain more memories."

"So because I was gonna die anyways, you decided it was _ok_ if you used me for an experiment?" I sputter, staring at the two, arms limp at my sides as my tone goes cold, "What gives you the right to play god with my soul?"

The two jerk back, and Hyuuga sputters for a response. Squaring her shoulders, I have a split second warning before Iona's hand impacts my cheek. I stare at her wide-eyed, then feel like ice water had been poured on me when a prompt registers at the front of my mind.

/_{I-401} Command: Join fleet [Blue Steel]._/

I pause, freezing in place, knowing if I accept what is happening now and join her fleet, I give up everything that made me who I was and become just like them...

That's not right, I'm already like them. My personality contained in a computer, my body made from nano particles. All this would do is give me a rock to stand on, instead of the panicked floundering my mind has been in since Hyuuga came in. Since I woke up. With a sigh, my choice is made.

/_{SS-275} Accept Command._/

/_{I-401} Command: Grant root access to {Hyuuga} for final check and unlock. Access Concept Comm System._/

/_{SS-275} Root Access granted. Connecting to Concept Comm..._/

And the world around me melts.

0o0o0o0

And reforms into a large pavilion, a table in the center large enough for the five women around it with two extra chairs. They watch me, gazes neutral as I slowly approach and take a seat opposite Iona. Hyuuga stands from her seat to Iona's left and walks around to lightly place a hand on my shoulder with a whispered 'relax'.

"Why did you need Root Access?" I shiver as my limbs tingle and go limp, looking across the table at Iona, the tightness around her eyes telling me she is still angered by my comment in the med-bay, "didn't she already have it?"

"She had monitoring access, used to ensure a patient is running as they should." Haruna says, "This time it is to unlock your access to your ship's systems and functions. After this, you will be able to go as you wish, just like us."

"So now what?" I ask, and it hits me how calm I am now, "why am I suddenly so calm...?"

"To answer your second question, that is because I'm using a large part of your own processing power for the diagnostics, which include emotion simulation sub-routines," Hyuuga says, "It will be fine when I'm done."

"The answer to your first question," Iona takes over, voice monotone, "that depends on whether you wish to go with us, or remain with the Americans."

"I can stay if I choose to?"

"Yes." Haruna answers, and I suddenly wonder how I know their names when they speak, "each of us made a choice to remain with Gunzou, thus you have a choice to make for yourself."

"The Americans are already asking Gunzou-kun about you." Iona adds, taking a sip of her tea, followed by the others doing so as well, "They have already chosen a captain, one you apparently knew?"

Following her question, blue and green data rings appear around her and myself, a small screen appearing and displaying the info she sent me on this potential 'captain' my old command had in mind.

Is it odd, I wonder all of a sudden, that I so easily brush aside what should have been a concrete loyalty? That here, in an illusion generated by my processor and linked to others which I now mimic, is where I come to terms with losing my old life and the memories it contained? Perhaps that was the purpose of bringing me here. I can't say I'm ungrateful either.

"I'll... Stay," I begin, saving the data on the candidate for later, acknowledging that there will _be_ candidates and a future, "I'll try and build a new life. Start over fresh. My memories are a blank slate I can build on now."

"Good." Iona declares, startling me, and Hyuuga removes her hand, allowing everything to rush back to me like it'd never left, "I hoped for you to keep your Will, even though you have lost your past."

From one moment to the next all but Hyuuga disappear, leaving me alone with my rescuer. She stands a few feet away, her back facing me.

"Sister Iona and her captain inspire three questions in us, whether consciously thought or in what passes for our subconscious. 'Where did we come from? What are we? Where are we going?'. You are unique, perhaps more than I-401. You never had the Admiralty Code and have the instincts of the humans we seek to emulate." her voice is soft, but all the more riveting, "Maybe, where we cannot answer these questions, you can.

"Though, of course I have faith in Sister Iona!" with that final statement from her, the pavilion dissolves around me as my mind returns to the mental model and all the data pouring in from my ship.

000000

/_Setting up graviton ballast..._  
_Accessing active sensors..._  
_Unlocking weapons..._  
_Powering drives to standby..._  
_Klein Field to standby..._  
_..._  
_Sensors functioning..._  
_Drives on standby..._  
_Weapons unlocked, in stand-by, no torpedoes onboard..._  
_..._  
_..._  
_Klein Field on standby..._  
_..._  
_Ballast setup complete..._/

I blinked a few times, looking around myself. I was back in the med-bay, Iona and Hyuuga in front of me. The battleship smirks and winks before walking out, leaving me with the other submarine. Iona watches me, and I can sense her monitoring my data logs from her position as flagship.

"Gunzou-kun will meet us on the conning tower. From there, we will escort you across the gangplank to your conning tower." she says, tone precise and to the point, I doubt she has gotten over my earlier gaffe, "at that point, you will be released from dock to make your way back into San Diego Naval Harbor itself."

"Thanks," I mutter, and when she tilts her head I clear my throat and try again, ears burning, "Thanks for saving me. I apologize for my earlier insult, I realize you only wanted to help me."

"I am not the one you should apologize to." And with that, she stepped out of the med-bay and proceeded to walk away.

"Just diggin deeper holes, 275," I grumble to myself as I follow, "diggin'em deeper and deeper..."

000000

"John!"

I wince as the man I recognize only from his file waves at me while my hull pulls up to the dock. I'm standing on my deck in front of the tower, and realize then that this may be harder than I'd thought. John, I think as I glance to the emblem marked on the side of my tower below 'SS-275', is that better or worse than 'Runner'?

Better than 'cat' in Spanish, I decide.

"Captain Williams!" I call out, leaping the three plus meters from deck to dock easily, much to my and his surprise, "We've a bit to talk about. What did Captain Gunzou tell you?"

"Possible memory loss, and that you decided to stick to us instead of running off with the Blue." He grinned at his play on words, and his next statement causes me to roll my eyes, "not that I would have blamed you, bunch of good-looking women even if they are just made of nano particles."

"The memory loss is near total." No point in dragging this out, "I have only a few memories of the battle, and nothing before then."

"Oh," he stops, something flashing through his eyes before he covers it with a chuckle, "so you don't know me, then...?"

"Afraid not," I shake my head, sighing as I come to a decision, "for now, just call me Runner."

He gives me a quizzical look, so I gesture behind me to my conning tower and the 'nose art': a man in white shorts and t-shirt, painted in the act of running with the words 'The Runner' in bold white font beneath it. Originally it had been a busty woman in a skimpy white bikini, aircraft nose art typical of that era, but seeing as I was male I'd directed the nano particles to alter the image.

"It's my other half, and the sub I disabled before that destroyer killed my old ship and crew." I blink as I realize there is data in the core, memories after a fashion, from before I was placed inside it, "as I have no other memories, I might as well start with a new name to go with my new life."

"Well... I suppose you have a good point." He then grins again, extending his hand, "Welcome to San Diego, Runner."

0o0o0o0

"I should warn you," Williams murmurs as we approach the door to the briefing room, "pretty much everyone in there is expecting a fake. You might have an ally in Admiral Corvan, he seemed to get along with Captain Gunzou and his crew, but the others..."

I nod. In a way, I half expected this. If I was told someone had been copied into an enemy computer and then sent to me as an 'ally', I'd be wary too.

Doesn't mean I didn't wish it was different.

"Are you sure you want to go in like that?" He asks, and when I give him a confused look he gestures to me then to his clothes, "You're an American naval captain."

"I was," I correct softly, glancing over my jeans, dark green button-up t-shirt, and black leather jacket, "Now I'm a ship, looking for a captain."

Pushing the door open, Williams nods and follows me in. The oval table is between us and the large window overlooking the bay, and my hull, with the four admirals standing on the far side. On my side of the table is a single chair obviously meant for me, with the others pushed against the walls at either end of the room. Williams takes a seat beside the door as I salute the gentlemen and lady opposite me. Returning the salute, Admiral Corvan gestures for me to sit as he and his fellows do the same.

"Captain-"

"Apologies," I interrupt the female admiral, Hathaway her name plate reads, feeling I know where this is going, "My memories from before the battle are nonexistent. I've decided that whoever 'John' was, he died with his ship. I'm Runner, mental model of the SS-275."

"See! I told you it was some trick or other." Admiral Alexander scoffed, leaning back and crossing his arm when I finished, "now that we've settled that-"

"Admiral." I cut him off, barely keeping my tone respectful, "My memories are what is missing, not who I am. If you lost all your memories, would you then be a fake?"

"Let's try this again." Hathaway cut in, switching her glare between Alexander and myself, "SS-275, Runner, thank you for appearing before this board."

"My pleasure, admirals." My tone is clipped and professional, like hers. This is better, straight forward and professional I can deal with, "I hope to be as good an ally as I once was as a captain."

"Glad to hear it." Garrick intoned, amusement written in his grin and the crows feet at the corners of his eyes, making me think that maybe I have two allies, "Corvan, you got along with Gunzou and his Mental Model companions, you handle this."

"Of course, shove the 'dirty work' on me and watch from a safe distance," Corvan rolls his eyes, then leans forward, "Mr. Runner, if I may be so bold, may I ask exactly why you chose to remain with the U.S. Navy rather than follow Gunzou with the other Mental Models? They recovered enough nano particles from the wreckage yesterday for Hyuuga to reform Takao's Heavy Cruiser hull, so you could have been part of an actual group."

"Take your time answering." Garrick chips in, his grin less amused and more predatory now, sending a shiver up my spine and through my processors.

I spend little time thinking on it, I had made my choice in the Pavilion.

"I might be a mental model and a ship now, my memories gone with my human body, but I'm still American." I affirm, taking a deep breath before continuing, "But I have to admit the loss of my memories makes me less trusting than the old me might have been, less... willing to follow just because it's expected of me."

"You're saying you'd ignore orders if they don't suit you?" Alexander sputters, "You're a Naval Officer and U.S. Naval property. You'll do what you're told!"

"John Died!" I snap, bolting to my feet with fists clenched, "I'm what's left! I'm starting over, so don't make me regret my decision to emulate whoever I used to be."

"Alex, you're such a pig sometimes." Garrick snorts, words almost lazy, leaning back in his seat and staring at the ceiling, "275, the purpose of this 'meet-and-greet' is to determine your willingness to obey the orders of a Naval officer and accept a crew. This is not a black and white demand, we _will_ consider your terms."

"I'll take Captain Williams," this is what I want, to pick my crew, to have some level of control. Machine or not, I won't be some robotic puppet, "I'll work with him to pick my crew, but I'll only need a few. Maybe six all together."

"You want him? Good." glancing at me, Garrick rolls his chair back enough to get his feet up on the desk, "You'll report to me directly. Williams, you'll find reassignment orders in your hands in an hour. Runner, I'll send an aide with twenty dossiers for you and Williams to review at the same time. Give me your picks by tomorrow afternoon."

"That's not in your purview, Garrick!" Hathaway snaps, standing and slamming her hands on the table, "The West Coast is my area of command, not ONI's!"

ONI, Office of Naval Intelligence. I have stepped in the 'big one', I think.

"Any Fog tech and information automatically fall in my area." he rebukes her calmly, a self-assured smirk painted across his face, sending another shiver through me, "You're dismissed, Runner. Follow him out, Williams, get settled in aboard."

Seeing the looks on both Alexander and Hathaway's faces, and spotting Corvan planting his face in his hands, I move as fast as is polite out of the room with Williams hot on my heels.

0o0o0o0

/_Access: Dock side computers..._  
_..._  
_Access granted._  
_Install 'Backdoor code'..._  
_..._  
_..._  
_'Backdoor code' installed./_

I sigh, _One thing done._

_/Internal layout: generate crew quarters..._  
_..._  
_Quarters generated._/

"I've made basic quarters for you just stern of the bridge," I say to my new captain as we step inside and make our way to my aforementioned bridge, "Let me know if you want anything changed."

"I appreciate that Runner." he responds, grateful, as the hatch opens and I lead him into the control center of my hull, "Think Harbor Control will let us go out for a shakedown run?"

"Perhaps, but one thing first," I say, feeling out a sensation not quite my own, but which feels annoyingly necessary. Hyuuga's digital finger-prints are all over this, but I'm tired and don't care enough to try and dig out the lines of code and 'burn' them like I might have wanted to earlier, "Making you captain."

Bring my hands chest high, I push forward and swing out, summoning the glowing forest green rings and expanding them beyond my hull. Williams takes a step back, and I understand the shock value. A little startling for me as well.

"Confirm: What is our purpose?" I ask, rephrasing what feels like the right question, "Give me the reason you are captain."

"Our purpose?" he whispers, then squares his shoulders, "Our purpose is to free the oceans from Fog tyranny. I'm captain because you're willing to trust me, and I'm willing to trust you."

"Good enough for me." I grin, relaxing a little, "Logging you in as commander."

The room brightens for a moment as the codes in my system recognizes the position of captain, and I realize Hyuuga might have copied programming from Iona. Which makes sense considering Iona would have been the template Hyuuga used to help craft me.

"By the way..." I arch an eyebrow as he speaks, moving over to the small daïs in the center of the room while he continues, "I thought World War Two ships didn't have nose art, just the aircraft..."

"I know," shaking my head, I bring up the data rings again and power thrums through the hull as I cast off and begin powering around the harbor, testing out my engines and maneuvering, "I think Hyuuga did it as a joke, especially considering the image was originally a woman. Could've been one of Iona's crew that gave Hyuuga the idea too."

"What about the one on your bow?"

I pause, bringing up a mental image of my hull's bow, and realize what he saw. On the port side of my nose, in the same blue as on 401, is the Blue Steel symbol. Back tracking, I realize it must have appeared when I joined their fleet. On the starboard side, though, is a shield with a sword behind it detailed in rich gold. I shrug, turning forward and bringing up an image of the harbor on the main monitor as I think of the symbol on the bows of Fog ships.

"It's better than the Fog Cross."

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A/N: Well, first chapter. Honestly, I've had this idea for several months, just wasn't sure I wanted to put it up. But, I've learned from myself that if I don't post things they tend to set in my HD forever and slowly rot away, but if it goes up then people find it and sometimes leave encouraging reviews that help me _want_ to add more even if it takes awhile.

I've written more, possibly three times as much as what is in this chapter, so you'll get at least another chapter before I go back to slowly working on it like my other works like "Not What You Bargained For" and "I'm Needed: Redux".


	2. Chapter 2

**The Runner**  
**by BCE**  
**An Arpeggio of Blue Steel fanfic**

**0**  
**0**

Title: Mission Set  
Prompt: n/a  
Word Count: 3k+  
Rating: T  
Summary: Runner greets his crew and "stretches his wings" before they are released for duty.

Disclaimer: I do not own Arpeggio of Blue Steel

Notes: Nothing to say yet, check notes at the end.

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I relax at the top of the conning tower, feeling the sunlight warm my body as we power north along the West Coast. It's a wonderful sensation, even if my processor cataloges it clinically as 'solar heating of Mental Model nano particles", and I took pains to make sure I had a couple hours every day to find a place on my deck and enjoy the sun. And so I can take in the open ocean from above the waves instead of under them.

It took a week between choosing our crew and their arrival, and it was the same day as their arrival that I tested both their and my combat abilities.

[afternoon, three days earlier]

I followed Williams to the gangway between the dock and my deck, eyeing the crew we'd agreed on and internally calling up their basic files.

/_Sonar Operator and Communications: Ensign Elizabeth Macon..._  
_Weapons: Ensign Laura Ibsen..._  
_Engineering: Mr. and Mrs. Micheal and Karin Loder_  
_CMO: Dr. Carl Boothby_  
_XO: LT. Erin Donnol_/

The Loders would be the only civilians, and were obviously married, though Mr. Loder had once been navy. The others all came highly recommended by Garrick, and neither I nor Williams could find any reasons to reject them. They were the best picks, and the fact Garrick had flagged them for me was something I'd have to get over.

The way the Loders reacted as they saw me was a touch unnerving, setting off a faint feeling of familiarity I couldn't place. For a moment Mrs. Loder had flash of emotion, but the expression was gone so quickly I couldn't identify it and I brushed it off. Mr. Loder, however, maintained a solidly neutral expression that made me feel like he, and not I, was the 'ship's computer'.

I turn my attention to the rest of the crew, but I get little from their expressions and posture. Not a surprise, as they're all military, though for the ensigns it's probably from nerves and not habit.

"Relax," I call, a moment later echoed by Williams. It's not a surprise they hesitated, I'm still in my civilian clothes I'd generated for the meeting with the admirals, "My name is Runner, as you probably saw in your assignment packet, and my ID is SS-275.

"When speaking directly to or about _me_," I continue, placing one hand against my chest, "address me as Runner. Otherwise, my ID is fine. Captain Williams?"

"Welcome aboard the SS-275. Runner is it's mental model, and the controlling consciousness. You got the details in the packet, so you already know about the Blue Steel fleet." Williams stands relaxed, hands now in his pockets. The packet he mentions being the one I put together with information I thought relevant for someone who would be my crew, "He and I have come up with a loose arrangement. Treat both of us as captain, with me having the final say. As far as Regulations go, I'm being more lax than I was on my old ship, but still require you to be professional."

"Engineers, I've set up a paired terminal in my engine room. I'm essentially copying I-401's layout where I can, so I hope none of you studied the old Gato deckplans. Sen Toku-class won't be much help either," I admit, gaze directed to them, then turn to the pair of ensigns, "Weapons, you'll need to coordinate the loading of torpedoes with Naval supply. Sonar and comms are already set up, but get familiar with the layout."

"Sirs," the XO pipes up, voice having an odd gravely quality for a man looking in his mid-twenties, "Why isn't there a helmsman?"

"That's my job." I answer, grinning when he blinked, "I _am_ the ship, so I control both helm and Klein Field, which is my shield."

"Understood."

I watch them for a moment, and seeing no other questions I summon steps up to my deck. Who needs a boarding ramp, and I might as well start with the 'shock-and-awe'.

"Like Williams said, welcome aboard." So saying, I make my way up to the deck and back inside.

000000

[same day]

I stood in the center of the bridge, on a small circle of raised flooring perhaps a foot above the rest of the deck, surrounded by the hum of power in my hull. William's chair is slightly behind and to my left, with Erin's station opposite the Captain's. Directly in front of me was Elizabeth's weapons station, ahead of whom was the main monitor, and to its left was Laura's combined sonar and comm station.

As the crew filed through the hatch and I pointed them to their stations, Mr. Loder leaned his head into the bridge.

"Runner," his calm baritone matches his slightly craggy face and greying hair, and I turn to him as he continues, "which way is engineering, we've never been on a submarine before."

With a nod I hop down and walk out of the bridge to lead the older couple to engineering. Only now, up close, do I really realize they must be in their late fifties. Stepping into the corridor, I spot and gesture for the doctor to follow as well, pointing out along the way the crew quarters, galley, and Carl's med-bay where the doctor leaves us to inspect his area.

Reaching engineering, I pointed out the side-by-side desks and called up my engine specs on the screens, granting the terminals access to my power-grid and associated systems.

/_grant engineering access to crew {SamuelLoder} and {MarthaLoder}..._  
_..._  
_Access granted..._/

Leaving them to learn -both were listed as accomplished engineers with multiple specialties- I made my way back to my chosen place on the bridge.

000000

"Runner, we're cleared to depart the harbor in an hour," the XO alerted me as I stepped back on what I was privately calling my 'stage', "Once they finish loading the torpedoes that is. They are requesting we open the loading hatch so they can begin."

"Roger, opening hatch." And so saying, I focus on my forward deck and mime opening a book. The confused looks I get over my action brings a grin to my face as I then explain, "Miming an action similar to what I want helps me focus."

"Whatever floats your boat," Ensign Laura says, using the stylus to direct the cranes and internal rails to methodically move the torpedoes from the loading hatch to the magazines, the terminal converting her commands into actions in my forward hull, "uh, sir."

"No worries ensign." I brush off her comment with a chuckle, idly directing part of my processor to watching how she organizes the munitions. It's rather like tasting the food as you swallow, I absently notice.

/_Access munitions delivery invoice..._  
_..._  
_Accessed, invoice follows..._  
_[Final load: 20 standard warheads, 8 corrosion warheads, 6 sonic warheads, 6 decoy torpedoes]..._/

"Impressive," I note aloud, drawing William's and Erin's gaze, "I didn't know we had any corrosive warheads."

"Those are probably the ones I-401 gave us," William says, "Going to be hard to get more, so I'm hoping we can get a shipment of those new vibration warheads Captain Gunzou brought us."

"Leave a footnote for Admiral Garrick," Elizabeth jokes, "bet the ONI-oni already plans on us getting part of the first batch."

"ONI-oni?" Erin's stern voice has Ensign Elizabeth straighten in her seat before she answers, and I spot the embarrassment on her face reflected by the monitor in front of her.

"Oh En Aye, are the same letters for the Japanese word for demon, sir" I grin at the comparison as she continues, "considering the admiral's reputation, I thought it was an apt comparison, sir."

"Carry on." I say before Erin or Williams can say anything, letting her get back to checking my comms, all of which are fine, and I devote a bit of my processor to checking her work as well. she's set up hot keys for several frequencies and quick checks for known sonar signatures, both of which will make her job easier.

Bored, I decide, is the best way to describe me at this point. Setting up a couple extra monitoring programs with a thought, I tell Williams I'm going to talk to Hyuuga and might not immediately notice him call for me. He mutters an acknowledgement and I call up the concept comm.

000000

This time, instead of 'melting' from one 'place' to the next, it is a sudden and seamless change. I find myself in the pavilion, a small table and two chairs present in the middle as if anticipating myself and the one I want to talk to.

"Hyuuga." I murmur, and I wait only a moment before the Battleship blinks into view on the other side of the table.

"Ah! 275!" She smirks, "you're settling in, yes? Here to seek my wisdom are you?"

"It's Runner," I say, and give a 'after you' gesture towards the chair on her side of the small table with two cups of tea waiting for us, not failling to notice the smirk that crosses her face when I say my chosen name, "I... had a question..."

"Oh?" her expression turns curious, and she takes the offered chair and a sip of tea, absently commenting on the drink, "chamomile."

"Is there anything left of the original Fog persona in my processor?" I say after taking a sip of my own honey-sweetened earl grey tea, "anything?"

"Well," she pauses, her eyes distant as she thinks, "I did have to leave large portions of programming so you'd be able to use your hull without problems. But I'm relatively sure I scrubbed the personality from the union core thoroughly."

"So the bits of memory I'm getting are just logs, not leftovers of the old SS-275?" I sip my tea again, and Hyuuga does the same before replying.

"I admit, I didn't bother with the logs, so it's possible you'll get impressions and knowledge for what seems to be no reason. Being aware of it, you could even pull up information you need." Logical, clinical, I wish she'd be this way more often than the hyper and obsessed self she had around Iona, "And remember, I ran a complete check using both our processors before unlocking your control of your ship."

"Thanks." I murmur, staring into my now empty cup, before looking her in the eyes, "thank you. And I'm sorry for the other day. I shouldn't have-"

"Don't." She cut me off, "You had every right, if I understand humans like I believe I do, to react as you did."

"Doesn't make it right."

"No, it doesn't." She agrees, and I wince, "but I forgive you. I know it was a shock, and perhaps we didn't reveal it in the best way."

"Still, I wish I'd handled it better." I sigh, preparing to depart as I vaguely hear Williams address my Mental Model, "and thank you. I'll use this chance to the fullest."

"See that you do." She smirks, "we might be running out of good luck, between Takao bringing back Sister Iona, and then our reviving you."

000000

I open my eyes on the bridge, taking a deep breath and acknowledging Williams calmly despite the unease from Hyuuga's statement.

"Loading complete," I say after checking the programs I had running in the background, "clear to cast off for shakedown cruise."

"Alright, Runner, take us out," Williams commands, leaning back in his chair, "ahead five knots, you set the depth."

"Aye captain, ahead five knots, setting depth." I echo, deciding to slowly dive to ten meters as I make for the harbor mouth, "We'll exit the harbor in five minutes."

I stretch my mind, getting a better feel for my sensors as Ensign Elizabeth continues to make adjustments. I'll be relying on her to detect threats, which will allow me to allot more processor power to reaction time for my Klein Field and maneuvering. Already I'm noticing an increasing in speed for my other programs.

Honestly, it unnerved me how easily I employed all these various programs. It's like splitting my attention, or multi-tasking, but subtly _different_ all the same. I wasn't ready to complain, not so soon after promising to use everything to the fullest, and it did make things easier... But it was still disturbing on a level he couldn't quite place.

"Sirs," Elizabeth hesitates, "I'm getting engine sounds from outside the harbor, possibly Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers..."

"It's Sumner. Displacement, 3500 tons; three, twin turreted 5in guns, and ten torpedoes tubes." checking through the logs left by Hyuuga only purging the personality, I easily recognize the signatures on my senses and call up their stats, "counting four inbound, line-abreast. Looks like we're the target. Clearing the harbor now."

"Four torpedoes inbound!"

"Crash dive, load decoys in tubes seven and eight," Williams calls and I immediately switch the lighting to minimum as we dive, leaving only the glow of the monitors and my triple green rings of data, "Load standard warheads in tubes one through four, and a corrosive in five and six,"

"Torpedoes inbound, fifteen seconds to impact. No Thanatonium reading detected." I inform, bringing the tactical overlay up on the main monitor, "Loading launch pattern into warheads."

"Launch decoys!" Williams yells, "Bring our nose up, snapshot tubes one through four and target the center two destroyers with the corrosives."

"Snapshots and decoys away!" Laura finished tapping her board, a program taking her input and directing the loading and launching, "Corrosives away!"

"Two torpedoes are changing course, targeting decoys." Elizabeth confirms, "snapshots have hit one torpedoe; fourth torpedo still inbound, impact in ten."

"Deploying Klein field." I announce, "Brace for impact in seven seconds."

"Our torpedoes are on target, impact in ten." Elizabeth calls out, "Sumners are maneuvering port and starboard to evade, Klein fields detected."

"Too late," I announce, crouching to take the shock of the following hit to my Klein field, "impact in three!"

The detonation of the torpedo is minimal, compared to a corrosive hit at least, and while it slams my frame it does not shift anyone from their seats. Though I do lose my balance, my face bouncing off a hasty barrier that, while it keeps me on the platform, hurts.

"Both targeted Sumners have been hit amidships, they are sinking," Elizabeth reports, jerking back a second later, "Additional torpedoes in the water, inbound from port and starboard! Five from both directions, twelves seconds to impact."

"All ahead full! Point us at the starboard Fog destroyer." Williams orders, "load tubes one, two, seven and eight with standard warheads. Corrosive warheads in tubes three and nine."

"Aye aye, bringing us around." I announce, "Thanatonium detected. Two corrosive torpedoes, one each from remaining Sumners."

"Fire standard warheads and the corrosive in tube nine," once more, Williams snaps to action, "crash dive one hundred feet, then point us straight at the destroyer ahead of us and fire tube three."

"Torpedoes away, ready to fire tube three!" Laura calls out.

"Impact in six seconds," Elizabeth reminds, "outbound torpedoes are on target, aft corrosive will hit the target in ten."

"Klein field is holding at eighty percent of maximum," I state, "I can handle both corrosives if need be, but I will have to drop the field after to discharge the trapped energy."

"Bow on target! Firing tube three."

Laura launches the corrosive, and despite both Fog ships attempting to avoid our fire, the patterns I'd dumped into our torpedoes' guidance systems has both of them being hit amidships by my corrosive warheads. Our maneuvers cause nearly all the enemy torpedoes to miss us, though a single normal warhead and a corrosive do reach us. The impact at first is like before, obviously the normal torpedo, but a second hit and surge on my senses registers as the corrosive. The hit shoves my hull to the side, slamming everyone into the side of their chair and station and knocking me around the small space of my 'stage'. It rattles for a couple seconds before a second smaller shove is felt and the blast dissipates. I rub the side of my head as I check my hull and sensors, noting at the same time that Elizabeth announces the sinking of both remaining Sumner destroyers.

"All targets are sunk," I say, bringing up the lighting to normal, "Nothing in detection range. Securing from battle stations. No damage to hull, discharging energy from Klein Field."

"San Diego Harbor Control is contacting us." Elizabeth calls, "Vid feed from Admiral Hathaway's office."

"Answer it."

"Captain Williams," Garrick greets us, standing to Hathaway's left when Ensign Elizabeth accepts the transmission, "Good to see you're all well."

"I'm assuming your Fog detection systems are exceptional," Hathaway half glares at Garrick before turning back to the monitor, "we didn't detect those Fog Destroyers until shortly after they opened fire on you."

"Fog destroyers, like their submarines, are equipped with anti-detection gear," fishing for information. While annoying that she won't just ask me, I find no harm in humoring her, "They most likely only knew I was here because they would've seen me exit the harbor before I dived."

"Indeed, and now that your shake-down is over," Garrick speaks up, that unnerving smirk on his face, "I need to you head out for the Panama Canal, and make best speed through it and up to one of our naval bases in Florida."

"Which base?" I and Williams voice at the same time, and I nod for him to finish, "We'll pull back into harbor and reload what we spent out here before going."

"Please do," Hathaway shoots a glare at Garrick, "You'll detour north first, head for Washington. Dock at Whidbey Island, they should have a load of vibration warheads for you by the time you arrive."

"I should tell you that once you have the warheads make best speed to the Key West Naval Fortress." Garrick says, blithely ignoring Hathaway, "While you're docked here, I'd like to come aboard and properly brief the two of you."

Williams glances at me, and I nod once before answering, "Of course, I'll generate a conference room."

"Splendid, see you in a half hour." And with that, Garrick reached out across Hathaway's desk and the screen switched to the tactical display as the signal cut.

This promised to be... Interesting...

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A/N: More of "The Runner". I've got a good start on what will be the third chapter, and holy hanna are they promising to be long -compared to my normal 2k word norm- chapters. I could have broken it up into smaller posts, but then it wouldn't flow right, so I hope you enjoy them as they are.

Where am I going with this? Well, at first it was a fun "What if?" scenario -almost a self-insert really- that I never really intended to post, but now I might just write it along a similar vein to what I feel from Dartz-IRL in his "Yours Truly 2032" Bubblegum Crisis story. A human finds themselves trapped in a machine body and must adapt to their new situation and lack of memory, struggling to find out "Who am I?".


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